FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS

— An entirely unnecessary philosophical inquiry by Blanç.

Gosh... where do I even begin?

Friendship is gold.

Romance is diamond.

But a good friendship with benefits?

Oh, darling... that's an entirely different mineral. One so ridiculously rare that geologists might as well give up looking.

You see, there are certain luxuries that come with the arrangement.

For starters, there's the rather wonderful flexibility of it all. A little more legroom when navigating the complicated business of finding affection, intimacy, or simply someone to keep you company when the evenings become a little too quiet.

You're free to explore, to admire, to entertain the occasional curiosity of another handsome face, provided, of course, that you remain within the boundaries you've mutually established.

No unnecessary complications. No dramatic declarations. No particularly ambitious expectations.

Just two people who happen to enjoy each other's company and occasionally find themselves with certain... biological inconveniences requiring mutual attention.

Nothing to be ashamed of, really.

Even I, on occasion, find myself missing the comfort of that one particular friend who could so effortlessly transition from being an innocent darling to an absolute—

Oh.

My apologies.

A darling.

Whenever the moon happens to be in the right position, naturally.

And perhaps that's the beauty of it.

You're not particularly burdened by the rather intimidating contractual obligations of a conventional romantic relationship. No death stares over an innocent appreciation of someone's appearance. No elaborate courtroom proceedings because you happened to find another individual attractive.

Good heavens, imagine having to defend your eyeballs.

But then again, I suppose that's what makes serious relationships serious.

A rather fascinating institution, really.

One I shall continue observing from a comfortable distance.

However...

For all my rather questionable enthusiasm about the liberties and conveniences of this arrangement, I think there's something far more valuable hidden beneath all the cheekiness.

At the end of the day, beyond the occasional mischief, the stolen kisses, the spontaneous affection and whatever other recreational activities two consenting adults might find themselves indulging in...

You still have a friend.

Someone to laugh with.

Someone to confide in.

Someone who knows when you're being ridiculous and loves your company anyway.

Someone who can hold you close without making the entire universe feel obligated to define what the two of you are.

And perhaps that's the most beautiful part.

Because intimacy is lovely, attraction is wonderful, and companionship is an absolute treasure.

But having someone with whom you can share all three without losing the friendship that brought you together in the first place?

Now that's something worth appreciating.

After all...

What are friends for?

...

Fawwwk. 🤧🌚

— Blanç